Heat device



Aug. 20, 1968 a. BJJIONES HEAT DEVI CE Filed Jan. 21, 1966 .Buwzon .5. a/bnsus INVENTOR.

BY QM w BELL-4M.

United States Patent 3,397,686 HEAT DEVICE Burton B. Jones, Houston, Tex., assignor of one-third each to W. Don Shepherd and Frank Young Filed Jan. 21, 1966,Ser. No. 522,164 2 Claims. (Cl. 126-59.5)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Heat device having a consumable, spirally wrapped paper outer container, fixed bottom and removable lid, the container being filled with a heat and smoke emitting fuel comprised principally of styrene bottoms.

This invention concerns a new and improved product for providing heat to areas used to grow fruits or vegetables which are alfected by temperatures at or below freezing.

There are numerous geographical areas that are well suited for the production of vegetable or citrus crops except for occasional temperature drops toward or below freezing. Such areas include the Florida, Southern California and Rio Grande fruit belts. It has been common practice to place a quantity of smudge pots at spaced intervals in the affected orchards, groves or rows. However, such a procedure has not always produced the lingering heat that is oftentimes necessary, has limited B.t.u. capacity and the pots themselves are of such a configuration as to be bulky to store.

This invention contemplates a container that may be consumed, i.e. burned along with the heat emitting product therein. The containers, therefore, are of such a configuration as may be economically stored, may be quickly positioned and produces an abnormally high B.'t.u. output.

Thus, this invention has as its subject the provision of heat to outdoor growing plants.

A further object is the provision of a heating device that may be readily stored and transported to the heating location.

Yet another object is to provide a container for a chemical compound that may burn along with the compound. These and still other objects will become apparent on considering the following appended description, claims, and drawing wherein FIGURE 1 is a partially cutaway perspective of the container for the chemical compound.

The drawing shows a container generally illustrated by the numeral 10. The body portion of the container is formed of spirally wrapped paper product 11. The interior surface of the paper is coated with a grease proof glassine lining 12. Thus, a sufficiently rigid, cylindricallyconformed, combustible shell is provided. At the top and bottom of the shell or body, are, respectively top and bottom metal covers 13, 14. Top cover 13 should be of the snap-on or other easily removed type. While the lower cover may also be of this type, it is preferred that said lower cover 14 remain in position during burning and may be annealed in a convenient manner to the lower annular surface of the shell.

The primary combustible material 15 provided the container includes primarily what is known as styrene bottoms inasmuch as it is the end or waste product in the commercial making of styrene. A standard manner 3,397,686 Patented Aug. 20, 1968 of producing styrene involves heating a combination of products within a distillation tower, to remove undesired products and separate the styrene therefrom. Such an operation utilizes the fact that such undesired products and styrene have different boiling temperatures. For example, products 1, 2 and 3 may become gaseous at a specific pressure and below degrees centigrade. The styrene boils at about degrees Centigrade. Thus, at this temperature level within the tower, the styrene may be removed. The original products combined to produce the styrene, one of which may for example be benzine, will normally have impurities. Thus, there will normally be a residue after the styrene and undesirable products have become gaseous. This residue is normally rather sludgy, and is commonly known as styrene bottoms. It has been determined that said bottoms has a relatively high B.t.u. value, burns evenly and has little or no residue. These features are felt to be caused by the relatively high sulphur content, being on the order of 20-40% of bulk. On burning, a relatively dense, hot smoke is created which lingers in the general area of combustion a substantial period of time protecting the foilage and existing fruit or vegetables. For example, a container having a diameter of 7% and a height of 12 /2 may burn for 8-10 hours, protecting the surrounding vegetation.

In actual use, the containers are taken from storage and spaced as desired, spacing depending on the temperature to be encountered. After being positioned, the removable upper cover is removed and the combustible mixture may be lit. Said mixtures viscosity may approximate that of molasses at temperatures of 80 F., but will become extremely viscous or slow pouring at near freezing temperatures. The configuration of the container as hereinbefore described sufiiciently points out the ease of storage in that the containers may be stacked and thus stored in a relatively small area. Further, during use, the lined paper shell will burn along with and at the same rate as the combustible fuel contained therein. Thus not only is additional heat of combustion provided, but also labor is conserved in that it is not necessary to gather in smudge pots or diesel oil containers after usage.

In summation then, a combustible container is provided having a removable top. The primary fuel utilized includes as its principal ingredient styrene bottoms which has a high sulphur content, burns completely and provides a hot dense lingering smoke. The container, being made of glassine lined, spirally wrapped paper, burns along with the combustible fuel. Thus the container and fuel are expendable, and need not be recalled after utilization. While a single embodiment has been described, it should be obvious that numerous modifications are possible by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is limited only by the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a combustible device intended to provide heat to an outdoor area, comprising in combination:

a cylindrical container being closed at one end; and

fuel means substantially filling said container, said fuel means being comprised of styrene bottoms, both said container and fuel means being of such compatible nature that on said fuel means being lit, both will burn at substantially the same rate.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said container com- 3 y 1 .4 Y A v.

prises a spirally wrapped, interiorly coated body closed a I 7 References Cited W i at said one end by va bottom cover plate, said body fur- UNITED STATES Efi ther having at its other end removable lid means for permitting ready access to the interior of said body when 2,276,220 3/1942 Le Velne X removed, and when in place for causing said device to 5 2380367 4/ 1942 Schultz 126-595 X assume the configuration of a solidly enclosed cylinder 2,504,779 4/1950 Young et having sufiicient strength while under compression to per- 3,261,346 7/1966 Waddell et a1 67-21 X mit a plurality of said devices to be stacked one atop the other. CHARLES J. MYHRE, Primary Examiner. 

